Extension Mode for Wireless Lans Complying with Short Interframe Space Requirement

1. A first wireless device comprising: a transmitter configured to transmit, in accordance with a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation, a packet to a second wireless device, wherein the packet includes a header portion and a data portion, and wherein a maximum time interval for the second wireless device to respond to the packet is as follows (i) in response to the packet being transmitted to the second wireless device in accordance with the first mode of operation, the second wireless device is to respond to the packet within a predetermined time period, and (ii) in response to the packet being transmitted to the second wireless device in accordance with the second mode of operation, the second wireless device is to respond to the packet in a time greater than the predetermined time period, wherein in response to the packet being transmitted to the second wireless device in accordance with the first mode of operation, the transmitter is configured to encode the header portion of the packet to indicate that the packet is being sent in accordance with the first mode of operation, and wherein in response to the packet being transmitted to the second wireless device in accordance with the first mode of operation, the transmitter is configured to i) encode the header portion of the packet to indicate that the packet is being sent in accordance with the second mode of operation, and ii) insert dummy data into the data portion of the packet, wherein the dummy data sent to the second wireless device during the time greater than the predetermined time period.

2. The first wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless device is compliant with IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.11(a), or IEEE 802.11(b).

3. The first wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined time period is 10 microseconds (+/−10%).

4. The first wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined time period corresponds to a nominal time period that a media access control (MAC) sublayer and a physical (PHY) layer of the second wireless device i) receives a last symbol of a frame of the packet, ii) processes the frame of the packet, and iii) responds with a first symbol of a response frame.

5. The first wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the second mode of operation corresponds to an extension signal processing mode that permits advanced error coding.

6. The first wireless device of claim 5 , wherein the advanced error coding includes Turbo coding, Reed-Solomon coding, or convolution coding.

7. The first wireless device of claim 1 , wherein: the second wireless device comprises an access point; and the first wireless device comprises a station in communication with the access point.

8. The first wireless device of claim 1 , wherein: the first wireless device comprises an access point; and the second wireless device comprises a station in communication with the access point.

9. A method comprising: at a first wireless device, transmitting, in accordance with a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation, a packet to a second wireless device, wherein the packet includes a header portion and a data portion, and wherein a maximum time interval for the second wireless device to respond to the packet is as follows (i) in response to the packet being transmitted to the second wireless device in accordance with the first mode of operation, the second wireless device is to respond to the packet within a predetermined time period, and (ii) in response to the packet being transmitted to the second wireless device in accordance with the second mode of operation, the second wireless device is to respond to the packet in a time greater than the predetermined time period, wherein in response to the packet being transmitted to the second wireless device in accordance with the first mode of operation, the method further includes encoding the header portion of the packet to indicate that the packet is being sent in accordance with the first mode of operation, and wherein in response to the packet being transmitted to the second wireless device in accordance with the first mode of operation, the method further includes i) encoding the header portion of the packet to indicate that the packet is being sent in accordance with the second mode of operation, and ii) inserting dummy data into the data portion of the packet, wherein the dummy data sent to the second wireless device during the time greater than the predetermined time period.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first wireless device is compliant with IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.11(a), or IEEE 802.11(b).

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the predetermined time period is 10 microseconds (+/−10%).

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the predetermined time period corresponds to a nominal time period that a media access control (MAC) sublayer and a physical (PHY) layer of the second wireless device i) receives a last symbol of a frame of the packet, ii) processes the frame of the packet, and iii) responds with a first symbol of a response frame.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second mode of operation corresponds to an extension signal processing mode that permits advanced error coding.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the advanced error coding includes Turbo coding, Reed-Solomon coding, or convolution coding.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein: the second wireless device comprises an access point; and the first wireless device comprises a station in communication with the access point.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein: the first wireless device comprises an access point; and the second wireless device comprises a station in communication with the access point.